1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to meter lead holders, and, more particularly, to those holders that have arms connectible to a probe. The arms may move in different planes relative to a base, an arm securing means and each other. The meter lead holder may include a probe which is spring loaded so that pressure of the probe connector against a meter or a terminal mechanically keeps the probe in place. In addition, the meter lead holder may include a spring loaded housing for a probe that is located partially within the housing.
2. Information Disclosure Statement
There are many patents related to probe holders. The following is representative of the art:
U.S. Pat. No. 6,285,180 to Pas discloses an apparatus for precisely positioning and thereafter holding a probe connected to an oscilloscope or the like. The apparatus enables a single operator to position the probe and read and adjust the oscilloscope. The apparatus has a rod like means about which a nonconducting probe holder enjoys several degrees of freedom. The rod is connected to a weighted base by a clamp through which the rod may slide as part of the gross positioning of the assembly and which clamp can be adjusted to finely position the rod and probe clamp assembly.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,261,231 relates to an apparatus for holding a probe and a method for using the same. The apparatus comprises a body portion having a longitudinal bore and a membrane holder positioned over a first end of a body portion. The membrane holder defines an opening which is covered by a membrane. A receptacle for receiving the probe is rotatably positioned within the longitudinal bore of the body portion at a second end of the body portion. The membrane, membrane holder, body portion, receptacle, and probe define a sealed chamber for containing a contacting medium.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,248,101 to Whitmore, III et al. describes and illustrates an apparatus for supporting and facilitating accurate positioning, both linearly and angularly of a medical device such as and ultrasound probe, a medical instrument or an imaging device. The apparatus is capable of both gross and precise multidirectional movements with the medical device attached, while remaining connected to stationary objects such as a portable floor stand and/or operating table. After gross manual placement and approximate positioning, the fine tune mechanism of the attached medical device is locked in position and secured to two fixed points. Exact positioning is then achieved by the precision movements which are available in all three linear directions and rotational axes. By this arrangement which allows preattachment of the medical device or instrument (i.e., an ultrasound probe) to the apparatus prior to positioning in the patient, quicker, more accurate and more reproducible medical device positioning and placement are achieved. In one preferred embodiment, the apparatus provides for multidirectional adjustment including a plurality of translational and one rotational adjustment.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,126,636 relates to a method and device for accurately positioning a measuring means such as a measurement probe relative to that target area of a living body which has a unique marking peculiar to the living body. A transparent sheet member is first applied to the target part, and an image of the unique marking is then transferred onto the transparent sheet member. The transparent sheet member bearing the image of the unique marking is associated with the measuring device so that a subsequent measurement can be performed by the measuring device after the image transferred onto the transparent sheet member has been aligned with the unique marking in the target area.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,124,723 to Costello relates to a probe holder for a wafer probe station. It is comprised of a pair of over-and-under rigid extensions, one of which receives the probe shank. The other is connected to the probe to make a Kelvin connection. The two coaxial extensions are supported by a vertical tube which contains a pair of coaxial cables connected to triaxial cables outside of the probe station enclosure.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,031,383 describes and illustrates a probe station having probe manipulators with probe supports disposed around a cover assembly with an inspection opening. Each probe support has a vertical tube extending through an opening in the cover assembly and a horizontal adjustable member extending radially inwardly and supporting a probe holder. Each such horizontal member may be angularly and longitudinally adjusted with respect to its vertical tube. Pairs of coaxial guarding cables run inside the vertical tubes and make Kelvin connections to the probe holders.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,908,568 to Soelkner discloses a mechanical probe for optical measurement of electrical potentials. The probe of the present invention is composed of a cubic, electro-optical crystal fashioned in the form of a tip and of a metallization which is at ground potential and which covers the crystal with the exception of those surface regions located immediately opposite a measuring location, for example an interconnect of an integrated circuit. Since the metallization acting as a cooperating electrode significantly facilitates the penetration if the electrical stray field into the crystal tip, geometry-dependent effects and influences of electrical microfields are nearly completely suppressed. The probe therefore makes it possible to utilize the voltage difference for optical measurement of electrical signals with high chronological resolution.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,857,836 relates to a mechanical probe for optical measurement of electrical signals. The probe for optical measurement of electrical signals with high chronological resolution is composed of a cuboid electro-optical crystal, of a co-planar waveguide structure located on a lateral face of the crystal and of a metallic tip applied to the end face of the crystal adjacent a measuring location. The signal at the measuring location, for example at an interconnect of an integrated circuit is taken with the metallic tip and is fed into the co-planar waveguide structure composed of two strip-shaped metallizations. Probe is holders or electrostrictive manipulators known in the art of electrical metrology (probe measuring location) can be used for exact positioning of the probe onto the measuring location.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,343,092 discloses a probe guide for holding a coating thickness measurement probe in contact with a coated workpiece such that repeatable thickness measurements may be made without the necessity of the user manually positioning the probe head for proper contact. The probe guide having a probe holding assembly constructed to permit the probe to swivel freely in any direction about the geometric center of the probe head face. A workpiece holding means is provided for holding the workpiece against a probe head of the probe. By positioning the workpiece holding means for forcibly move the workpiece into contact with the probe head face, the probe will swivel until the resultant vector through the center of movement of the static forces through the workpiece acting on the probe head at the point or points of the probe head passes through the geometric center of the probe head face. With this construction, repeatable thickness measurements may be made and the probe may be used to measure coatings on workpieces which have complex shapes such as jewelry items and turbine blades.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,305,207 to Lantz describes and illustrates a three-axis coordinate inspection machine. A pair of parallel Z axis rails are mounted atop a bearing plate having an upwardly facing horizontal bearing surface. A single X axis rail has opposite ends slidably and bearingly mounted to the Z axis rail. The X axis rail extends through a carrier which is supported by the bearing surface of the bearing plate. A vertically extending column is mounted to the carrier and slidably holds in the vertical direction one or more inspection probes which may in turn be moved along the length of the X axis and Z axis rails.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,165,270 to Ost et al. relates to an electrolytic apparatus for the simultaneous non-destructive testing of the integrity of pluralities of circuit boards for continuity and anti-continuity or short circuits, including such circuit boards as employ multi-layer or multi-level interconnection wiring, whether it be printed wiring or screen printed or thermally deposited circuits. Transient electro-deposition of one ion from an alkali halide water solution temporarily modifies the optical reflectivity of exposed circuit terminals or metal parts of the circuit boards under test in a characteristic and easily recognized manner according to the continuity status of the associated circuit paths.
Notwithstanding the above cited prior art, the present in neither taught nor rendered obvious thereby.
The present invention is a meter lead holder device. It includes a base, arm securing means attached to the base, and a first arm having a first end and a second end. The first arm is movably connected to the arm securing means, as well as being moveable in at least a first plane relative to the arm securing means. A meter lead holding means for holding a meter lead is located at the second end of the first arm.
Rotation means is connected to at least two of the base, the arm securing means, the first arm and the meter lead holding means. The rotation means is adapted for rotation of the meter lead holder device relative to the base, and includes a locking mechanism for locking and unlocking the first arm in a plurality of positions relative to the arm securing means.
Finally, there is attachment means connected to the base for attachment thereof to a stationary site. The attachment means may be C-suction cups, magnets, C-clamps, clips and the like.
The rotation means may be lockable universal joints, ball joints, lockable swivel joints and the like. The meter lead holding means may be pinch holders, clips, pinch holders with springs and the like.
In some embodiments, there is a second arm connected to the first arm and being moveable in at least a second plane relative to the second arm. It also has rotation means connected to at least two of the first arm, the second arm, and the meter lead holding means.
In some embodiments, a probe having a spring loaded housing is used in conjunction with the present invention meter lead holder device. An arm of a meter lead holder device is connected to a spring loaded housing which includes a first housing for a probe. Probe housing is partially embedded in the spring loaded housing. A meter end connector and a wire terminal connector extend from within the probe housing to beyond the probe housing.
The spring loaded housing includes an outer wall, a rotatable handle extending from an outer side of the spring loaded housing through the outer wall into an inner part of the spring loaded housing. A screw is attached to the rotatable handle and is sized and shaped to abut the first housing such that when the rotatable handle is rotated, the screw moves the first housing toward an opposite side of the spring loaded housing from the rotatable handle.
A spring means is located within the spring loaded housing and cooperates with a moveable inner wall attached to the spring means. There is a stop means extending from an outer wall of the spring loaded housing into the inner portion. The stop means is located one of below and above the moveable inner wall. The spring loaded housing further includes a stationary inner wall one of above and below the spring for maintaining movement by the spring in only one direction.
In operation, when the rotatable handle is rotated, the screw moves the first housing toward the inner moveable wall and pushes against the spring. The force against the spring creates movement in the spring such that the spring pushes the inner moveable wall one of downwardly or upwardly toward the stop. By the force of the spring being stopped by the stop, tension is created so that at least one of a meter end connector and a wire terminal end connector remain in place, independently of other control, once at least one of the ends has been placed in at least one of the meter and the terminal.
Still yet a spring loaded probe having a probe housing, is also used in conjunction with the present invention meter lead holder device. The probe housing includes a meter end connector and a wire terminal connector extending through the probe housing. Within an inner portion of the probe housing, there is a spring cooperating with the meter end connector of the probe. A spring mover means is located one of above and below the meter end connector and cooperates with the meter end connector. When the spring mover means is pushed one of upward or downward, the spring compresses, thus causing tension on the meter end connector.